Freedom of Information Act 2000 Request

Information relating to the recovery of criminal assets in relation to the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) 2002 powers.

Request

I submit this request for the specific information regarding the recovery of criminal assets using the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) 2002 powers.

I am requesting this information on behalf of Release for research purposes, to monitor the use of POCA powers (including for ethnic disproportionality and the allocation of public resources), and inform policy and advocacy in this area.

This information request relates to the information collected for the Joint Asset Recovery Database (JARD).

In the most recent financial year for which data is available:

1. What was the total number of confiscation orders issued (Proceeds of Crime Act 2002)? Please breakdown by the defendant’s (self-defined) ethnic group and gender.

2. What was the total number of confiscation order proceedings? Please breakdown by the defendant’s (self-defined) ethnic group and gender.

3. What was the total number of default sentences for non-payment of confiscation orders? Please breakdown by the defendant’s (self-defined) ethnic group and gender.

4. What was the average length of default sentences for non-payment of confiscation orders? Please breakdown by the defendant’s (self-defined) ethnic group and gender.

5. What was the total number of confiscation orders issued (Proceeds of Crime Act 2002), which related to a drug offence conviction? Please breakdown by type of drug offence if possible, and the defendant’s (self-defined) ethnic group and gender.

6. What was the total number of confiscation order proceedings, which related to a drug offence conviction? Please breakdown by type of drug offence if possible, and the defendant’s (self-defined) ethnic group and gender.

7. What was the total number of default sentences for non-payment of confiscation orders, which related to a drug offence conviction? Please breakdown by type of drug offence if possible, and the defendant’s (self-defined) ethnic group and gender.

8. What was the average length of default sentences for non-payment of confiscation orders, which related to a drug offence conviction? Please breakdown by type of drug offence if possible, and the defendant’s (self-defined) ethnic group and gender.

Response

In response to question 1, please see the attachment containing the data you have asked for under the tab ‘Q1-FOI 8596’. Please read the caveats appended to the table in conjunction with the data provided.

In response to questions 2 and 6, the information you have requested is not recorded on JARD.

In response to question 5, please see the attachment containing the data you have asked for under the tab ‘Q5-FOI 8596’. Please read the caveats appended to the table in conjunction with the data provided.

In response to questions 3-4 and 7-8, the default action section is a non-mandatory section on JARD therefore all the requested data may not be recorded and any information may be incomplete, not current and may not be accurate.

Information Management Unit 020 3357 0899 IMU@cps.gov.uk